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Mount Vernon resident Donte Pace, 22, has pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree manslaughter, a violent felony, for his role in the fatal assault of his victim last October, Westchester County District Attorney Anthony Scarpino, Jr. stated on Monday.
Shortly before 5 p.m. on Oct. 18 last year, Yonkers police officers were on patrol in the third precinct when they were flagged by a group of people near the intersection of Elm and Walnut Street.
According to police, they observed a male victim lying on the sidewalk outside of an Elm Street home, unresponsive and bleeding from a stab wound to his torso. Paramedics were called to the scene, providing treatment as he was transported to St Joseph’s Hospital for evaluation.
Scarpino said that Pace’s victim was walking eastbound on Elm Street between Oak and Walnut Streets when Pace stabbed him with a “bladed instrument.” His victim was unarmed. Pace proceeded to flee the scene.
The victim, who was later identified as James Puryear, was pronounced dead at the hospital less than an hour later. The Yonkers Police Detective Division Major Case Squad then launched an investigation, which led to the arrest of Pace 10 days later.
An examination by the Westchester County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Puryear died from a stab wound to the chest that resulted in damage to the heart and internal bleeding.
Pace is due to be sentenced in October, where he will face up to 25 years in prison.
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